Swardson Studios

One of the most common design techniques in Photoshop is to utilize layer styles to create drop shadows, gradient overlays, strokes, etc.  One thing I often run into is that I need to “finalize” or “apply” that style into the layer as pixels.  Basically make it so that the style is no longer applied to the layer but it’s effect is still there to allow me to erase bits, do a new blend, etc.

Here is the complicated process I use to accomplish this.

1. Create a new empty layer and place it underneath the layer you want to “finalize.”
2. Right click on the layer you want to finalize and choose ‘merge down.’

That’s it.  I told you it was complicated

Brad

P.S.  If you have a blending mode on the layer you want to “finalize” you should set it to Normal before doing the merge down.  Then, once you have done the merge, set the new “style free” layer to the original blending mode.